The unhappy and very happy adult life of Remus Lupin
by noam.gu.21
Summary: Series of oneshots covering Remus Lupin's adult life, beginning on November 1, 1981 with his finding out about James and Lily's death and the (supposed) betrayal of Sirius Black. As Canon as possible. Will contain many characters, not just the four listed below. Will eventually have Lupin/Tonks
1. Chapter 1: Receiving the news

**Disclaimer: I own know rights to Harry Potter world. It is all JKR's**

The alarm he had set on his watch the night before jolted Remus Lupin awake. He quickly picked it up from the table beside his bed and squinted down at it, is eyes slowly recovering from the deep sleep from which he had just woken. He saw that it was 10 in the morning and then noticed the date on the watch and released a groan. It was November 1st, 1981; the full moon just one night away. With James under protection and unable to leave his house with Lily, his wife, and Harry, their year old son; along with Sirius and Peter in hiding, his transformations had lost the excitement that they had once held for him. Now they had become what they had been far too often in his past: a terror filled with pain and resentment.

He slowly climbed out of bed and dressed in a set of his dreariest robes to reflect his mood. He moved from his small bedroom into his even smaller kitchen and poured himself a mug of coffee; taking a sip he quickly spat it back out, he had made it the morning before. Remus waved his wand and the day old coffee vanished. He filled up the pot fresh and pointing his wand at it to start the process of making it. As he collected the _Daily Prophet_ from the owl tapping on the window he thought about what to do with the day ahead. Deciding that he would go and visit Prongs, he knew how much his friend hated being cooped up all the time, even with Lily and their son for company; he opened the _Prophet_ and glanced at the headline before going back to his thinking.

It took him just a minute to digest what he had read. A huge grin broke out on his face and he jumped up and down; before looking back at the headline and reading it once more. 'You-Know-Who Vanquished' was what the headline had said and Remus felt his smile encompass his entire face. He was about to apparate away straight to Godric's Hollow to visit James and Lily and finally step outside with them when a glimpse of silver caught his eye. He watched as the phoenix formed in front of him and opened its beak to speak in the voice of Albus Dumbledore, Remus's old school headmaster and now friend. Dumbledore led the Order of the Phoenix, a group to which Lupin and all his friends belonged, which was dedicated to defeat Voldemort at all costs. "Remus, please don't go anywhere. I am on my way to speak with you and it needs to be before you hear from or go to anyone." Although the Dumbledore's voice contained the same calm tone as it always did, Remus couldn't help but recognize the deadly serious and shaken tone of Dumbledore's voice. The phoenix continued "I would also request that you not read the paper before I arrive as I think what I have to say would be best coming from me." The phoenix faded and Remus sat back down. He pushed the paper away from him without looking at it; he knew and trusted the Headmaster enough that he didn't argue with the patronus. Obviously there was more to the story of Voldemort's downfall.

Not 30 seconds passed after the patronus faded and Remus heard a soft 'pop'. He looked up to see Albus Dumbledore standing before him; white hair and beard as long as ever. The headmaster wore half moon spectacles on his crooked nose; the eyes behind the spectacles, however, did not contain their usual twinkle. One look at the man before him and Remus's face paled; he knew this was not good news. He could not contain his excitement over Voldemort's supposed death, however, and quickly rose halfway out of his chair, saying as he did so "Professor, is it true? Is he really gone?"

Dumbledore motioned for Lupin to quiet and sit back down. The old man nodded watching as a smile broke out again on Remus's face. He knew however that he was about to take away the joy of his former student and current friend. "Remus, before you start celebrating too much and we do have reason to celebrate," a small smile graced Dumbledore's lips at this point, "I must tell you the full story." Remus listened to these words and watched as the smile dropped from his old mentor's face.

Remus opened his mouth to speak but once again Dumbledore held up a hand to prevent him. "I think it would be easier if you didn't interrupt; I know how hard you will find this." Remus frowned, Dumbledore had him seriously worried now. "Remus, Voldemort was not the only one to pass last night. He turned up at Godric's Hollow-"

At these words Remus Lupin felt the floor drop away from him. There was only one reason Voldemort would have for showing up to that town. James and Lily. Harry.

Afterwards, Remus could only remember pieces of what Dumbledore said: "James and Lily were killed"; "Harry remains alive". Prongs was dead. His friend who had stayed with him. His friend who had risked his life to keep Remus company when he transformed. Prongs, whom he loved like a brother was gone from the world. Lily too. Harry was all alone.

James was gone.

But that wasn't possible. Remus's head snapped up. "How?" He managed to get out, realizing his thick throat and the tears streaming down his face. Dumbledore, who had been sitting in silence for several moments looked at Remus expectantly, waiting for more it seemed. "The Fidelius Charm… Secret keeper… Sirius?" He managed to get out.

Dumbledore just looked at him pityingly, "I am so sorry Remus, but it seems that Mr. Black betrayed their whereabouts to Voldemort."

Remus just looked at Dumbledore dumbfounded. Padfoot? Betray Prongs? It seemed impossible. It was impossible. Sirius and James had always been the closest of all the marauders. They truly had been like family. Sirius had been James's best man when he had married Lily. Sirius was Harry's godfather. Remus had seen the look of adoration on Sirius's face whenever he held the boy. It was not possible.

And yet James and Lily were dead. Voldemort had shown up at their house. Sirius was their secret keeper. Remus and Dumbledore both knew those were all absolutely factual. There was no other explanation that fit.

Remus felt Dumbledore's eyes on him as his grief for Prongs and Lily turned to rage. They were brothers all four of them. Brothers. They had all been brothers. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs had been family. How could one turn on the others just like that! Remus felt all his emotions fade away as hate consumed him. Hate for someone he had loved only minutes before. "I'm going to kill him." He was surprised by how calm his voice sounded; he felt like screaming and crying all at once. "I am going to rip him apart."

Dumbledore surveyed Remus with sad eyes. "I am afraid the tale does not end there, Remus." He gestured for Remus to sit again and Remus sank back into his chair, not even aware he had been standing. "Early this morning Mr. Pettigrew learned of the events of last night. He went to find Sirius Black and confront him." Remus gasped. Stupid Wormtail! He berated silently. Peter had always been the weakest of them all, Sirius would have destroyed him in an instant. Seeing the look in Remus's eyes, Dumbledore continued. "I'm guessing you already know how that ended. Sirius blasted apart a street and Peter along with it." Remus felt fury fill his body once more. First Prongs and now Wormtail? Dead? All because Padfoot couldn't just stay loyal to his friends? To his surrogate family? Dumbledore continued, "Sirius has been arrested and convicted and sentenced to life in Azkaban."

"Convicted? Already?" Remus groaned. But he knew there was no doubt.

James, Dead. Lily, Dead. Peter, Dead. All because of Sirius, who was his family.

Remus felt tears sting his eyes once again as he stood and fastened a traveling cloak around his neck. "Where are you going?" Dumbledore asked, evidently shocked that Remus would be going anywhere.

"To visit an old _friend_." Remus spat out the last word as he turned on the spot and disapparated.


	2. Chapter 2: A visit to Azkaban

**Disclaimer: I own nothing; JK Rowling owns everything**

Remus Lupin looked in between the bars in front of him to see the familiar man sitting against the wall; his head in his hands. Remus still could not believe what Dumbledore had told him. He did not want to believe that this man in front of him, who Remus had viewed as a brother since they had been 11 years old, was capable of betraying any of them. Being here and looking at Sirius was too much, it hurt too much. This man was responsible for the deaths of their two other closest friends and Lily, who had been a part of their lives for just as long.

Slowly, very slowly, without turning around Remus began to walk backwards away from the cell. At the sound of his footsteps however, Sirius's head snapped upwards. He met Remus's eyes. Remus looked into those eyes that had once been so full of laughter and were now dead, and stopped walking. Remus watched as Sirius stood and as he moved towards the bars on his cell Remus took another step back. Remus watched as the dead look in Sirius's eyes flickered for just a moment.

"Remus, I-I can explain." Came the whisper Remus wasn't even sure if he had heard properly.

"Explain? Explain Sirius? What is there to explain?" Remus was fighting the tremors threatening to take over his body.

"Remus, it wasn't… it was-" Remus could hear the longing from Sirius's whisper.

"Wasn't what Sirius? Wasn't what it looked like? Because it looks like you betrayed us all." Remus could feel the anger overtaking him now; could feel it shaking his entire body.

"I didn't. I couldn't." Remus looked into Sirius dead eyes and knew there was no other explanation. "My brother… he was my brother."

Remus's eyes flashed. "Your brother? Well then I guess we shouldn't be too surprised about what happened then; after all, look how you treated Regulus."

Remus felt Sirius lock him in a glare. "I would never hurt James. You know that Remus."

The anger was at the tipping point now. Sirius was very lucky they had confiscated Remus's wand before allowing him in to speak with Sirius. "Hurt him? You killed him."

"I wouldn't. Moony, I couldn't." But Sirius had finally gone too far.

At the use of his old nickname Remus exploded. James would never call him Moony again; Prongs would no longer be there with him. Wormtail was gone too. It was all thanks to the man who was standing in front of Remus begging to be forgiven. He had been Remus's family and had stripped Remus of all the family he had. "SHUT UP!" Remus roared. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN _SIRIUS_!" Remus spat the last word out. "DON'T YOU GET IT? You killed them. LILY AND JAMES ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU! HARRY IS AN ORPHAN BECAUSE OF YOU! And then you go and kill Peter. Was I next Sirius? Or was it Harry?" At the mention of his godson Sirius's face turned ashen white, but Remus continued before Sirius could. "YOU… YOU… KILLED… PRONGS." Remus felt the anger begin to fade as his knees began to give way and tears slid down his cheeks. "And now you get to sit here and rot, and think about all the pain you have caused. You get to think about Harry growing up without anyone to care for him; you get to think about me and what you've taken from the man you once called your brother; you get to think about what a liar and cheat you are." Remus made to turn away; he needed to get out before the grief fully overtook him.

"Remus." Sirius's voice was barely audible and loudly pleading at once.

"And Sirius, you get to think about how proud your mother is of you." And with one final look at the man who Remus thought would never betray him; he turned on his heel and disapparated.


End file.
